Allegory of Wealth

On the left a raggedly dressed man is depicted with a feathered hat in his hand. Next to his feet lies a card game. The old man on the right sits at a table in the characteristic pose of the melancholic. On and around the table documents, bags and a chest with money are depicted and behind the man a cabinet with valuable tableware. Above them a winged personification holds a scroll with the text: Teilends gleich, sind beid reich. (The wealth is divided between both). In the caption the message is explained further. Under the younger man stands the text: Mut ohne Gut. And under the old man: Gut ohne Mut. The representation thus shows two forms of wealth: the material wealth of the melancholic old man without courage for life and the impoverished man who possesses no money, but does possess joy of life. Both forms of wealth are further explained in the background scenes: left with celebrating and dancing people; right with merchant ships being unloaded.